Closing down Amtrak long-distance train service would eliminate the ability of most handicapped and elderly people from having access to the entire continental USA, for vacations and family visits. It would also prevent some tourist-oriented businesses from continuing to earn enough money to pay taxes, and this loss may be greater than the subsidy.

The defense importance of these trains was proved on 11 September 2001.

With all possible respect and very best wishes,

David Lloyd (ben Yaacov Yehuda) Klepper, student of the Yeshiva, USA Army veteran

However, I think it's pretty well known that Trump can't, or doesn't anyway, read...anything. You'll have to have someone at Fox News read your letter on the air if you want to try to get his attention.

Closing down Amtrak long-distance train service would eliminate the ability of most handicapped and elderly people from having access to the entire continental USA, for vacations and family visits. It would also prevent some tourist-oriented businesses from continuing to earn enough money to pay taxes, and this loss may be greater than the subsidy.

The defense importance of these trains was proved on 11 September 2001.

With all possible respect and very best wishes,

David Lloyd (ben Yaacov Yehuda) Klepper, student of the Yeshiva, USA Army veteran

Good luck! Perhaps sending it to Jared Kushner might be a better strategem.

However, I think it's pretty well known that Trump can't, or doesn't anyway, read...anything. You'll have to have someone at Fox News read your letter on the air if you want to try to get his attention.

It's a nice gesture, but I doubt that a letter to anybody in this White House will make much difference. Their minds are made up and they refuse to be confused with facts or anybody else's interests or opinions.

Your legislators will be the ones who can make a difference. Trump doesn't understand the separation of powers, so he has no idea of the limits of his own authority. But whether he knows it or not, there are forces that can limit him, and we elect those forces.

Tom

P.S. I'm writing my Congressman to suggest that they build a new golf course at Leavenworth, to make Mr. Trump's retirement more enjoyable. After all, he loves walls and looks great in orange!

However, I think it's pretty well known that Trump can't, or doesn't anyway, read...anything. You'll have to have someone at Fox News read your letter on the air if you want to try to get his attention.

However, I think it's pretty well known that Trump can't, or doesn't anyway, read...anything. You'll have to have someone at Fox News read your letter on the air if you want to try to get his attention.

That's a good letter David, but if I were you I'd send it again with ALL your professional credentials listed.

Why? Well look at it this way. Trump's a builder, and in your own way so were you. He's a businessman, you're a businessman, albeit retired now. He's New York, you're New York. Even if you never did any contract work for Trump or one of his organizations he may just know you by reputation.

The thread proves an earlier point I made that railfans are really Amtrak's worst enemy. Just read the comments here and the justifications for sitting around and doing absolutely nothing about a key issue allegedly they say they care about in their posts on this forum but when it comes to actually taking action it's..........let the other guy spend time in that area. I'll just sit back and snivel.

No, it won't be read; or if it is, it won't be paid attention to. For myself, I won't sit back and snivel, but I won't waste my time writing letters to this White House. I use too many multisyllables to be understood by them anyways.

No, it won't be read; or if it is, it won't be paid attention to. For myself, I won't sit back and snivel, but I won't waste my time writing letters to this White House. I use too many multisyllables to be understood by them anyways. Tom

All letters to the White House are read, scanned in to a electronic file and become a part of the White House archives. 

No, it won't be read; or if it is, it won't be paid attention to. For myself, I won't sit back and snivel, but I won't waste my time writing letters to this White House. I use too many multisyllables to be understood by them anyways. Tom

All letters to the White House are read, scanned in to a electronic file and become a part of the White House archives. 

and immediately forgotten

especially with an administration that says the opposite today of what it said yesterday

No, it won't be read; or if it is, it won't be paid attention to. For myself, I won't sit back and snivel, but I won't waste my time writing letters to this White House. I use too many multisyllables to be understood by them anyways. Tom

All letters to the White House are read, scanned in to a electronic file and become a part of the White House archives.

This is correct. Periodically I have sent snail mail letters as well as emails to the White House. I have always gotten a response to the snail maiI letters. I had the option of requesting a response to the emails, but I did not do so.

I have also called the White House on several occasions to express my views. As you might imagine, when I asked to speak to the President, I was told that he was unavailable, but the staff was happy to take my message.

My letters and emails were addressed to the President or the First Lady. I am pretty sure that they did not read them, but if a response is requested, someone on the staff, presumably a clerk, had to read them before selecting the appropriate canned response.

According to a former Massachusetts State senator, as well as a former member of the Texas House of Representatives, someone on their staffs, at least, reads all of the snail mail communications and most of the email.

The former member of the Texas House of Representatives, who I know reasonably well, told me that she instructed her staff to always respond to a well thought out snail mail letter and any emails that were written properly. She also said that her office got a ton of rants, and they were consigned to the circular file or its electronic version.

I have written numerous letters to a variety of public officials. More often than not I have gotten a reply, although in some instances the reply did not address my presenting issue. A common reply is, "I will keep your views in mind should the matter be discussed during the legislative (Texas) session".

No, it won't be read; or if it is, it won't be paid attention to. For myself, I won't sit back and snivel, but I won't waste my time writing letters to this White House. I use too many multisyllables to be understood by them anyways.

When I was in a position to do so, I made certain that all telephone calls and written communications to our national orgainzations office in WDC were answered by a real person with authority to respond. But, that was years ago and, it seems, this courtesy is no longer commonly in place. When Joe Boardman became Amtrak's chief, I wrote a very nice letter to him which got zero response, about a year later, I sent a certified, signature required letter to his office which got zero response and the same was true with a letter to the Secretary of Transportation. On the other hand, I used to get Christmas cards from one of the most difficult old Senator from the deep South after I had written a reasonable letter to him regarding Amtrak! Go figure. Hope that you get a reasonable letter back from the White House and thanks for sending what you did send.

When I was in a position to do so, I made certain that all telephone calls and written communications to our national orgainzations office in WDC were answered by a real person with authority to respond. But, that was years ago and, it seems, this courtesy is no longer commonly in place. When Joe Boardman became Amtrak's chief, I wrote a very nice letter to him which got zero response, about a year later, I sent a certified, signature required letter to his office which got zero response and the same was true with a letter to the Secretary of Transportation. On the other hand, I used to get Christmas cards from one of the most difficult old Senator from the deep South after I had written a reasonable letter to him regarding Amtrak! Go figure. Hope that you get a reasonable letter back from the White House and thanks for sending what you did send.

Amtrak has a Passenger Advocacy setup, they speak direct with Amtrak Management based on Amtrak passenger feedback from passengers that contact them, you can find the email on the Amtrak website. If you want your comments to be heard directly by Amtrak management contact them or volunteer. They will also give you a little feedback on what they think of your proposal and how Amtrak management is likely to interpret or respond to it based on their past experience (the rational person test I would call it). Here is the link on ACAC, you can submit comments to them as well. Please give them information about yourself about how frequently you ride Amtrak and if you ride LD or Corridor as well as what specific area you are communicating about LD or Corridor so they can steer you in the right direction.

Closing down Amtrak long-distance train service would eliminate the ability of most handicapped and elderly people from having access to the entire continental USA, for vacations and family visits. It would also prevent some tourist-oriented businesses from continuing to earn enough money to pay taxes, and this loss may be greater than the subsidy.

The defense importance of these trains was proved on 11 September 2001.

With all possible respect and very best wishes,

David Lloyd (ben Yaacov Yehuda) Klepper, student of the Yeshiva, USA Army veteran

Did Congressman Mica land a job somewhere in the Executive Branch? I believe he was defeated by a wide margin in the last election.

I'd like to report that Mr. Mica (former Congressman John Mica R-FL) does indeed have a new gig. He is currently employed as a microwave techinican cook for the National Rail Passenger Corporation on several trains out of Washington. From what I read in the Washington Times and Breitbart, he is not quite yet a good fit for the position. He is trying to get used to the hours and the work week, but more importantly his compassion muscles and instincts are getting a real work out. He's been quoted as saying recently, "Who knew running a long distance train was so hard? We in the dining car are especially short-handed." As far as the pay, he's supposed to have noted that "nobody on this damned train is overpaid." What he said when informed the train he was working was already three hours late and would get him home, if lucky, at some ridiculous hour, simply can't be quoted here.

Did Congressman Mica land a job somewhere in the Executive Branch? I believe he was defeated by a wide margin in the last election.

I'd like to report that Mr. Mica (former Congressman John Mica R-FL) does indeed have a new gig. He is currently employed as a microwave techinican cook for the National Rail Passenger Corporation on several trains out of Washington. From what I read in the Washington Times and Breitbart, he is not quite yet a good fit for the position. He is trying to get used to the hours and the work week, but more importantly his compassion muscles and instincts are getting a real work out. He's been quoted as saying recently, "Who knew running a long distance train was so hard? We in the dining car are especially short-handed." As far as the pay, he's supposed to have noted that "nobody on this damned train is overpaid." What he said when informed the train he was working was already three hours late and would get him home, if lucky, at some ridiculous hour, simply can't be quoted here.

Notice I said, "I'd like to report..."

Reality - he isn't qualified for such a position and would not have lasted his 1st training trip - most likly being removed inroute for being unruly.

Did Congressman Mica land a job somewhere in the Executive Branch? I believe he was defeated by a wide margin in the last election.

I'd like to report that Mr. Mica (former Congressman John Mica R-FL) does indeed have a new gig. He is currently employed as a microwave techinican cook for the National Rail Passenger Corporation on several trains out of Washington. From what I read in the Washington Times and Breitbart, he is not quite yet a good fit for the position. He is trying to get used to the hours and the work week, but more importantly his compassion muscles and instincts are getting a real work out. He's been quoted as saying recently, "Who knew running a long distance train was so hard? We in the dining car are especially short-handed." As far as the pay, he's supposed to have noted that "nobody on this damned train is overpaid." What he said when informed the train he was working was already three hours late and would get him home, if lucky, at some ridiculous hour, simply can't be quoted here.

Notice I said, "I'd like to report..."

I like your post, except for a couple things:

1. You posted on April 2. You missed it by a day.

2. While microwaves are used on lounge cars and certain high volume food service, including many trains that are crewed out of Washington, chefs on Amtrak Long Distance full service diners cook on grilles and convection ovens. In those cars, the microwave is used only for thawing, and for some special meals such as Kosher meals or meals for special diets, that are intended strictly to be prepared that way. Normally, your meal is not microwaved.

3. I know a lot of Amtrak chefs, and I've seen them work miracles under extremely trying conditions. The idea that someone like Mica could qualify to be an Amtrak chef in the first place is ludicrous, and the idea that he could succeed is laughable.